


No More Light

by fridamoss



Series: No More Light [1]
Category: John Winchester - Fandom, Supernatural
Genre: F/M, Jeffrey Dean Morgan - Freeform, John Winchester - Freeform, John Winchester AU, SPN - Freeform, Supernatural - Freeform, Supernatural AU - Freeform, Supernatural Fiction, john winchester fiction, john winchester x ofc - Freeform, john winchester/female character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-18
Updated: 2020-09-29
Packaged: 2021-03-03 20:21:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 13,364
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24791509
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fridamoss/pseuds/fridamoss
Summary: John is on a stakeout. But finds his attention is on a woman who moves into an apartment below the one he’s meant to be watching.John Winchester & original fictional character. Eventual smut, plenty of angst.
Relationships: John Winchester x OFC
Series: No More Light [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1885291
Comments: 3
Kudos: 7





	1. Chapter 1

She’d moved in a week ago. I’d seen a car pull up in the dead of night when I was on lookout, third night in a row. It was one of those nights when the moon is glaring back at you, telling you ‘boy, there ain’t nothing you can hide from me tonight.’  
The few possessions she had took two journeys from car to stairwell.  
The next morning, when I was rolling onto the sheets, muscles achin’, she was there at her balcony.  
I pulled the dusty plastic blinds apart with my fingers and watched her from my bed.  
Her hands wrapped a mug of hot somethin’ or other. I’d like to think she takes cream in her coffee, no sugar, she’s sweet enough.  
She didn’t know I was lookin’. Sleep overtook me then, I was dead to the world til the sun started dipping low.  
One cold shower later I decided to get out and get some food. Some good food, not the trash I’d been living on the past few days. The problem with getting older is that I can’t eat crap and I can’t get by on coffee and booze any more. Besides, if I were to start to talking to some chick at a bar, would she be half as interested in me if there weren’t the promise of an old guy that looks like he is a stallion in the sheets? You know the type.  
Salt n pepper beard, looks like he’s choppin’ wood all damn day. Sweat drippin’ down his chest onto his abs. Yeah, that’s what I look like and I wanna keep it that way. 

Pulling up my collar against the chill, I head to my truck.  
I had only driven around the block when someone stepped out in front of me, no, fell out into the road.  
‘Motherfucker!’ It was one of those moments when you say somethin’ without thinkin’. I jammed on the breaks. My hands were gripping the wheel, fuck I almost ran them over.  
Then she looked up, her hands flat on the hood. It was her, the woman from the apartment I wasn’t meant to be looking at.  
‘You ok?’  
‘Asshole!’ Her blue eyes wide, she wasn’t looking at me though.  
‘Excuse me?’ Yeah, I put on the innocent guy face sometimes.  
‘He tried to rob me!’  
I looked over my shoulder, I sure as shit didn’t see anyone else, but I almost didn’t see her either.  
‘Who?’  
She shook her head. ‘Sorry, he pushed me.’ Her lip trembled a little. 

‘You’re ok now.’ I meant it.  
‘You need to sit down?’  
Sitting heavily onto the sidewalk, she put her head between her knees.  
‘Listen, sweetheart, if you need me to go after someone, let me know what he looks like and I’ll beat his ass.’  
‘No,’ came her muffled response. ‘You wouldn’t believe me anyway.’  
‘Try me.’ I reached out a hand to help her up, I was actually surprised when she took it. Leaning against my truck, I realised how tall she was. An inch or two off six foot.  
A leggy redhead. I may have bit my lip when I looked her over. But now wasn’t the time, I’d nearly hit her with my vehicle. I shoulda been kissin’ her feet for not swatting me with her handbag and screaming bloody murder.  
‘Nevermind, I’m ok. He didn’t take anything, he just ran past me and bumped into me.’  
‘As long as you’re good.’ After a beat, I played dumb. ‘You live around here? Can I call anyone to come get you?’ I felt the corner of my mouth lifting in a smile when she looked at me.  
Those big blue eyes were rimmed with tears and she looked fucking angelic.  
‘You look like you need a stiff drink.’  
Blinking the tears away, she regarded me for a minute then made her decision. ‘I live close enough. I’m fine.’  
I nodded. ‘OK then, I feel awfully bad leaving you here though. Promise me you’ll take care of yourself.’  
I sat into the truck and pulled out my little book of fake I.D’s. I thumbed at the little plastic slips, she looks like she could use help. Maybe runnin’ from an ex?  
‘Hey, uh, if you change your mind and need a stiff drink, give me a call.’ I extended my arm out the window, the business card between my fingers. She reached out to take it, reading it and snorting. ‘John Winchester... so are you a cop or something?’ Nervous shifting, oh yeah, I caught it, she was in trouble alright.  
‘Not a cop, an investigator of a sort. I help people in trouble.’  
‘For real?’  
‘For real. And hey, if you decide you wanna find that S.O.B. that pushed you into the street, let me know.’  
I winked, it was meant to be reassuring. Yeah baby I’ll take care of you in a fatherly way.  
The card disappeared into the pocket of her overcoat. ‘I’ll think about it. See you around.’  
Swinging her bag over her shoulder, off she went, never looking back.  
***  
Did my pretty neighbour realise she was living below some scumbag vamp wannabes? Most likely not. But now she was there, the job felt a little more personal.  
When they came back to the block, and they were comin’ back, I was gonna sit here and wait while the traps went off. I had a perfect view from the balcony.  
She went and fucked all of that up. I was meant to be watching for those fuckers and their crates of stolen blood bags but instead, I was watching her.  
Creepy as it may sound, it wasn’t actually like you think. I was sitting alone in the dark, making my way through another night with a bottle of my amber love and she was across the way, laying on her sofa, curled up watching tv. What was she thinkin?  
Why did I care what she was thinkin?  
If those blood bag stealin’ assholes saw she was living there, they’d have her. And I couldn’t let it happen. I checked the gun again, still there, ready to go when I asked. My finger was strokin’ the trigger real soft when I heard a van door close. I couldn’t see from here.  
The spartan apartment I was holed up in was at least blessed with windows facing the parking lot on the east side.  
Nothin’. Sound travels easier at night. I sat back down.  
She was sleeping. And as soon as the sun peeked over the horizon, I threw my gun down and lay face down on the bed and slept, I didn’t dream about her until the third night.

Her hands were under my shirt. Daylight was flooding in, blinding me. I had to lean back to get a look at her. Hair spread out across my pillow like a fuckin goddess. And she was moaning for me, pouting when I moved her hands away. I just wanted to look at her.  
‘John’, she whispered, ‘take off your clothes, I wanna see if I was right.’  
‘Right about what?’  
‘You’re just covered in scars and tattoos, aren’t you?’ She bit her lip, ripping at my shirt.  
I had one of those stupid as shit thoughts that every man has while I pulled my shift off, ‘yeah I’m making all your dreams come true right now.’  
I’m the man, baby.  
She was worshipping me with her mouth, pink lips sucking at my skin. A peek of a wet tongue before it disappeared and she was biting down on my nipples. Why on earth hadn’t I let a woman do this to me before? Why couldn’t I just let go and enjoy it?  
‘John,’ she hummed against me. I dipped my fingers into her hair, shining like golden flames in the sunlight. Pulling her head back, I saw blood dribbling onto her chin.  
Fuck, I jumped back, feeling for the blade I keep on the bedside locker.  
‘Evil bitch,’ I threw the blade into my right hand and swiped at her. She started climbing the walls, hissing down at me. My blood was dripping back down on me from the ceiling, she was moving slowly, looking at me. Reaching up, I grabbed her hair, tugging with all of my strength, she dropped back onto the bed with a screech.  
I woke up in a sweat.  
The screams were still bouncing around my head, I try to shake them off. Rubbing my tired eyes, I checked my watch, half hour after sundown, fuck.  
I bolted up out of bed on hearing a scream. Shit that was real. My heart was hammering in my chest, pushing the blind aside I saw her, there were two men grabbing at her, she was giving it everything tryin to get away from them.  
Sons of bitches, I gritted through my teeth, grabbing my gun.  
I made it to her door in time to see it open, her lifeless body slung over the shoulder of one of the ugliest motherfuckers I’ve ever seen.


	2. Chapter 2

Bang. Crash. Wallop. That’s what happened them boys. Just like Batman from tv, I loved that show when I was a kid.  
The ugly motherfucker almost dropped my redheaded lady before I grabbed her around the waist. She was still out cold when I carried her down the steps and across to my apartment.   
I laid her on the couch and went to the window to see if there was any movement across the way. Nothin’.   
I sighed, then whispered a curse.   
My finger was caressing the trigger of the gun though, I wouldn’t get them from here, my gun didn’t have that kinda range. It was more up close and personal, which was what me and my mysterious neighbour would be when she woke up.  
Why was she being seemingly abducted by two men in the middle of the night?   
They weren’t the guys I was waiting for.   
Light from the street lamps found her. Face was bathed in a poor imitation of a sunset, she was golden. The light ran a course from her across the floor and ended right at my feet.  
If that wasn’t a sign, I don’t know what is. All it lacked was a man in a hi-vis aiming his direction paddles at her.  
‘Hey, sweetheart,’ I whispered. She stirred, a sweet mewl blessed my ears before she settled again.  
I couldn’t stop looking behind me in case something happened across the street.  
‘Hey,’ the volume of my voice rising a little, that woke her.  
Her eyes popped open, she stared at me, jolted up and ran to the window, crushing the blinds as she pressed her back against them.  
‘Where the fuck am I?’   
‘Calm down, sweetheart, you’re at my place.’  
‘Why am I at your place??’  
She was trying to see through the dark, squeezing her eyes shut. I realised I was standing in the shadows holding a gun. Stepping forward wouldn’t make her feel at ease, so I dropped the gun to my side and raised my free hand.  
‘Do you remember what happened?’  
Breathing fast, she brought her hands to her head, shaking her hair out across her shoulders. ‘No, no I don’t.’   
Panic was setting in. Damnit, why couldn’t I be comforting?  
‘It’s ok, you’re safe right now.’   
‘Am I? Safe from what? You?’ She spat.  
Technically, I did just kidnap her from her kidnappers.  
‘Of course, I told you I help people who need it.’  
‘There were people in my apartment!’ Suddenly realising where she was, she spun around and pushed the blind out of the way. There were shadows of men moving about.  
I stood next to her and squinted out into the dark. Fuck, I probably need glasses.  
‘Do you know them?’  
‘I can’t see them from here.’  
‘Well, I heard you screamin’ and I ran over there and found you slung across one guys shoulder.’  
She searched my face, finding no lie, she sighed, trying to hide her lip that trembled. Standing this close to her, I could smell her perfume, soft as her skin looked, sweet n flowery.  
‘I think I need a drink.’  
‘Do you know them?’  
She just shook her head. I had a feeling she did know them.  
‘Whiskey?’  
Folding her arms around herself, she bowed her head, I heard a sob and my heart sank. I wasn’t gonna be good at this part.  
‘Hey, I told you, you’re safe. Ain’t no one coming looking for you here.’ I reached out to her with the tumbler of whiskey, my own way of comforting her.   
She took it and drank it down in one go.  
I raised my eyebrows, yeah I was surprised with that. Not even a flinch while she held it out for a refill.  
‘Relax, I don’t want you unconscious again.’ She caught my tone, of course I was trying to be easy going. At least she wasn’t freaking out.  
‘So, what’s your name?’  
‘No, no way, we’re not going there!’  
I barked a laugh, ‘you know mine.’ I smiled that winning smile, the one that makes the girls blush. Well, it made her gulp down the whiskey again, she stood stock still like I was about to belt her with my car again.   
Cocking her head to the side she fixed me with this look, a tingle in my loins turned to dull ache, oh man.   
‘Guess.’  
I was taken by surprise. ‘What now?’  
‘Guess my name. While you pour me another glass.’  
I clicked my teeth but I poured her drink anyway, she took it from me and gave me a slow blink, the kind the girl gives ya across a bar.  
‘See,’ she began, her voice was on the verge of husky, the hint of an accent, ‘my mother named me after a character written by a very famous author.’  
‘Ah so we are doing clues,’ I teased, laying my gun against the wall behind me. Stuffing my empty hand into my pocket, really just to keep me from thinking about what to do with it.  
‘Well that’s no kinda clue, unless it’s Harry Potter, in which case I will tell you I will never fuckin guess.’  
She smiled, ‘no, you won’t.’ Her mouth was around the glass, her gaze holding mine. The alcohol clung to my lips, I licked it off slow and easy. She watched me do it.  
Who was this girl? 

‘So give me a better clue.’  
Shrugging, she moved away from me, choosing to sit on the sofa facing the window, the glass moving from one had to the other. ‘It was the name of a character in a book I read as a teenager.’  
‘That’s definitely a shittier clue than the first.’ I scoffed, turning my eyes to the apartment. Shadows moving, but they weren’t coming out anytime soon. Poor fuckers didn’t know what had hit them when I came callin’.  
‘In the book, the woman is taken captive by a man with a gun and he wants to make a game of guessing her name. The deal is, if he guesses right, he kills her. If he doesn’t, she gets to live.’  
‘I won’t kill ya.’ My voice low, if only she knew.  
‘I know. Coz you’ll never guess my name.’


	3. Chapter 3

‘You got any food?’   
I sighed, a vision of the empty refrigerator came into my head. ‘Nope, sorry sweetheart, I didn’t get to the convenience store on account of keeping my eye out for some dodgy guys across the way, and looky what I picked up instead.’ Smiling over at her, she sneered at me, it was almost a smile though. She thought I was charming, she just didn’t want to let me know that.  
‘I wanna go home.’  
‘Be my guest.’   
She didn’t move from where she was laying across the couch, a hand running through her hair. Eyes open but not seeing.  
It had been a few hours since she woke up.  
‘I need to use your bathroom. I hope it’s clean.’  
I gave her a lopsided grin, I take pride in my appearance these days, my bathroom has gotta be clean. Nodding in the direction of the w.c. I continued looking around the street. The sun would be up in a couple of hours and there was still no sign of the boys I was waiting for, I could almost give up. But now I had something else to do. I heaved a sigh, thinking I should offer her the bed and I could sleep on the couch.   
I am tall, not as tall as my boys though, at least I could fit comfortably if I swung my legs over the arm or bunch my knees up a bit.   
Her sudden reappearance jolted me out of my thoughts.   
‘So what’s your plan? You gonna keep me here forever?’  
‘You can leave any time you wish, but those boys are still in your apartment, making a fuckin’ mess from what I can tell. Why were they carrying you off into the night?’  
Her mouth opening and closing, fingers pushing into the pockets of her jeans. She couldn’t make eye contact. Whatever bravado she had raised in herself while in the bathroom was gone. Damn, she was scared.   
‘I don’t…’  
‘Well, we have two options. Confront them or wait it out. Which do you prefer?’  
Those big blue eyes darted over to the window and back to me. ‘I don’t know.’ Her voice low.   
She seemed like a kid, a scared kid.   
‘Listen, you gotta tell me if you know these guys and what they want. Otherwise, you’ll end up running for good. And that’s no life.’ I was starting to get a headache, I needed a nap, a shower, a sandwich.   
She didn’t say anything, just started nibbling at her nails.   
‘Ok, fine.’ I leaned back and reached for the door handle, turning it and opening the door.   
‘I’m on a job right now, sweetheart, I tried to help you.’  
Her eyes flashed wide, ‘are you kicking me out?’  
‘I don’t know what else to do with you.’ Scratching my neck, I looked down at the floor, I could see her foot tapping.   
‘I thought you helped people!’ Her eyes narrowed at me.  
‘I can’t help you if you don’t tell me what’s up.’ I reasoned.  
I could see her will leaving her body.   
Stepping closer to her, she slumped slightly, her hands resting by her sides.  
‘How old are you anyway.’  
Eyes trailing across my beard to my mouth, she was so damn kissable.   
‘Twenty,’ she cleared her throat. ‘Twenty six.’  
I raised an eyebrow. ‘Twenty six…you’re sure?’   
‘That much I’m sure of.’ 

I heaved a sigh, she was so damn frustrating. But at least I didn’t have to scold myself for bein’ interested. Young as she was. 

‘Those men that came for me, they work for my brother.’   
Finally.  
‘My brother is well known where I come from, powerful, dangerous and he seems to think he has ownership of me. So, I left. I thought I was doing ok until that day that I fell into the street…and you…’  
I nodded, ‘do you think the guy that scared you was something to do with your brother?’   
‘Definitely, I thought I recognised him, but I knew it couldn’t be right. I mean, I drove for days and stopped here, in a town I have never even heard of to hide out for a while.’  
‘Your brother must be powerful, as you say. If he found you in the ass end of nowhere.’  
‘I think it was bad luck, for me anyway.’  
‘Coincidence that one of your brothers goons would be here?’  
Her breathing was ragged, panic setting in again. ‘Fuck, what am I gonna do?’

I put my hand on her arm, fingers squeezing her flesh gently. ‘I got you, you’re ok.’  
Without warning, she threw herself at me. Her arms wrapped around my shoulders. Her golden tresses brushing against my mouth, tickling my cheeks.   
‘I’m safe with you.’ She stated.  
‘Yeah you are, darlin.’  
Blowing out a breath, she let go, holding up her hands as an apology for getting too close.   
‘Listen, I got nothing to eat here, would you be ok if I went to the store, grabbed a few things and came back. I’ll be gone ten minutes, max.’   
I picked up my gun.   
Settling onto the couch, wiggling her butt to get comfortable she looked up at me. ‘I’ll be ok.’   
She didn’t sound convinced but I left anyway, closing the door behind me.

And what the fuck happened next, you may wonder. Well, when I closed that door the first of the traps I’d set went off in the complex in front of me. I saw the blood splatter across the kitchen window. Another flash, boom and more blood.   
I bolted over the railing and ran over to the door, I haven’t lost any speed, you can’t when you’re in this line of work.   
The fuckers must have slipped back in when I was caught up in Red’s hair. I knew that wasn’t her name but that’s what I was calling her in my head.   
By my count the traps had taken out two fuckheads, I didn’t know how many were meant to be showing up so I took the stairs pretty quick to see if I could catch any stragglers.  
Turns out it was just the two piles of blood and guts. I counted 2 boxes of blood bags. I took both of them and made my way back down to the truck, throwing each of them under the tarp.   
There was a beat up Ford truck I hadn’t seen before parked near the entrance. I shimmied the lock and found 2 more boxes in the trunk. Yeah, I took those too.   
Job done. I should have been outta there.   
But I couldn’t leave her.   
I looked up at the windows, reflecting the first light of sunrise. The gravel crunched under my feet as I moved to push the butt of the gun against my shoulder pointing it up at the man standing right outside the door. He had his face pushed up against the glass, I heard her scream when he grabbed a hold of the handle and tore the door open.  
‘Hey!’ I let out a warning, he either didn’t hear me or he didn’t care. He was inside. I could hear her crying out, damnit, she was crying out for me.   
Taking the stairs two at a time, I got there just in time for him to try push past me, I got a shot off at him but it went a little wider than I’d hoped. His shoulder exploded in a flash of red. Howling with anger, the big fucker came toppling down on me. He had Red by the arm, his vice like grip never letting up. The whole scene could have played out in a funny sorta way, if you weren’t trapped under an ugly giant that was bleeding all over you.   
Red was crying, punching at him with such ferocity I never thought her capable of.  
That was when another man appeared, the second of the douche’s I had taken out earlier.  
‘There you are you little bitch, just wait til I get you home.’ He hauled her off her fee, his hands wrapped around her hair. ’John, help!’   
I pushed gigantic away from me with every bit of strength I had. He wasn’t dead, oh no, he just wasn’t sure whether he was gonna kill me first or try help his buddy push Red into their car and make off with her.   
He decided on the former. I saw his fist coming down at me, but luckily he was slow, I rolled my body away from him and heard the crack of his hand against the metal stairwell. Oh boy did that make him mad. Not only was his shoulder shot out, but now his hand was broken too.  
The other guy had dragged Red down the stairs, if there was anyone else living in the neighbourhood, they weren’t getting involved in the fight.   
‘Hey!’ I shouted again, the guy didn’t stop, he just turned to look at me. The gun was pointed at him, ‘I’ll shoot if you don’t let her go.’   
He smiled at me and forced Red into the car, a pair of arms wrapped around me from behind.   
I knew how to get out of a bear hug. I slipped down to the ground, going limp as a dead fish. Gigantor didn’t know what was going down so he just stood there, letting me get away with it.   
I bolted. Down the stairs and to my truck. He banged on the hood a couple of times as I sped away, chasing down Red.   
Her crying was still banging around in my head, why the hell was I chasing this girl? What kinda trouble was I getting myself into?


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> John is on the hunt for Red, nothing and no one will stand in his way. 
> 
> Warnings: Mention of rape, sacrifice. Grievous bodily harm, death and violence. And cursing.

Two hours of weaving through traffic on the highway trying to keep the car in sight. Whoever it was that picked up Red wanted to be a racing driver, guaranteed. Shit, he probably spent his weekends on the tracks, it wouldn’t surprise me.   
I hung back. If I got too close, we could potentially drive each other off the road and put everyone else in some serious danger. And I’m all about saving people, especially Red.   
I hadn’t eaten or showered or even taken a piss. My stomach churned at the idea of anything happening to her.   
Her voice kept echoing in my head, crying out my name.   
Tapping my fingers on the steering wheel I made a call to a hunter about an hour away, if my prediction was right, the snatcher, or Douche 1, would stop off to refuel that gas guzzler he was in. When he did I could take him, escape with Red and we could drive off together into the sunset. I dunno. I didn’t have a plan.

Faye picked up my call, she was a good friend. I told her why I needed to switch cars with the promise of coming back with her beloved vehicle in the same condition I found it.   
She’d meet me in the next town we had to pass through, as a bonus she even agreed to finish off the blood bag job for me. I would owe her big time.

The car switch seemed to fool the other guy, I still kept a good distance between us and he had slowed down on the long, empty highway.   
The air con was a dream, the afternoon sun was blinding and my face was starting to hurt from scrunching it up.   
I checked myself in the rear view. I could definitely do with a shave, I had a lot of grays. Fuck it, I’m a silver fox, that’s what the ladies say when they put their heads together in bars to talk about me, like I couldn’t hear them.

It was evening time when the car pulled off the road into a small clearing. Faye’s sat nav said there was a river off the highway down that way, and probably a cabin to hide out in.   
I imagined Red being pulled from the car, stumbling as she resisted.   
I put my foot down and sped past the turn off, I’d swing back around see where I could get in. Faye’s trunk of goodies didn’t let me down, I had more than enough gun power to get through any amount of bodies to get to her. I just really hoped it wouldn’t be necessary.

I sank down to one knee, scoping out the area. The house at one point had been painted red, now covered with moss that I could smell from where I was hiding. The gambrel roofed monstrosity sat facing the long drive way over hung with trees, their branches reaching for each other in a desperate attempt to block out every stream of sunlight that might slip through. There was no love in this house, you could smell the decay, I couldn’t imagine anyone living here willingly. The only sign anyone was home was the car sitting outside, covered over by a tarp. As if I wouldn’t find her, dumbshit. I smiled to myself while I checked each window, each door for an easy way in.   
Yeah, I could bust the door down and swing in to save her. But what if it were full of men with guns or worse. I’d save the heroics and do it smart.  
I heard voices, raised voices. It was her, she was screaming. Surprised at her colourful language I crept a little closer, seemingly it was only the two of them in there. No one else was joining in the argument. 

I’m calling your brother now so sit the fuck down and shut up!

The screen door on the house creaked open and closed again.   
There was an almighty crash, something just got broke to shit. 

I told you to shut up!

There was the unmistakeable sound, he had hit her and she had fallen to the ground. Silence. 

My blood was boiling, cracking my knuckles I shifted out of my spot and shuffled toward the back entrance, there were plenty of unkempt trees for cover.  
Douche 1 came out into the yard, his footsteps squelched in the river water that seeped up from the overflowing banks.  
He had his cell phone against his ear. ‘Hello? Hello!?’   
Honestly thinks he’ll get a good signal out here? Fuckin’ idiot.  
Crack his skull now or wait? I didn’t get a chance to move before he had turned and cursed, walking a few feet towards me and stopping, right as a flock of birds made an ungodly amount of noise over the water. It spooked him for a second. He straightened up, looking in the area in which I was standing, but I was well hidden.   
He shook it off and tried the cellphone again, this time it seemed he got through and started looking for a better spot. ‘Yeah man, I got her can you believe it?’ Disappearing over the other side of the house and out of sight, I crept out from my hiding place, taking large steps to the creaking screen door.   
Red was laying on the dusty floorboards of what would have been a fine lookin’ kitchen if anyone cared for it.   
It stunk of pig shit in here, the ceiling looked as if would collapse in the next rain storm. She whimpered softly and opened her eyes, blinking a few times, trying to push herself up, I watched her check her head. There was blood, she’d be out of it for a while.   
‘Red,’ I whispered, she looked around, confused. Seeing me, she used all of her strength to grab hold of the kitchen island and pull herself up, resting her back against it.  
Hunkering down to her level, I smiled at her through the mouldy door between us.  
‘Anyone else here?’ I whispered.   
To my surprise, she nodded. ‘In the office,’ pointing to the door in the hallway. I nodded, ‘stay there, I’ll get you out.’   
The squelching footfalls were getting closer, I made my way around the other side of the house, careful not to touch anything that may clank and give away my position and also I did not want to get covered in any nasty shit.  
Slinking around to the front of the house, I peered through the first window. Nothing in there. The next window, facing the driveway showed me what I was looking for.   
A man sat at a desk, his arm stretched out across the wrinkled, dried out leather chair, a tube of blood feeding right into his vein.   
Great, if he’s had a skinful of that, he may be wild or dopey, there was no in-between with these vamp blood addicts.   
I sat back on my heels and thought about it. Why not, just go for it.  
So I did.  
I walked right through the front door and swung a left to the ‘office.’ The man sitting at the desk didn’t even look up to see who it was, he was busy drooling all over himself.  
The dopey kind. I stuck a knife into his throat and let him gurgle for a bit before pushing him to the floor.   
Not much to this room other than a stench of something long dead and moth eaten books.  
I threw my feet up onto the desk and leaned back in the chair while douche 1 came down the hallway.  
‘Yo, you finished in there?’ There was a knock.  
‘Come in.’ I used my most commanding voice. There was a pause before the door opened, he had a knife in his hand.  
‘Hello again.’ I gestured to the rickety wooden chair across from the desk. He didn’t know what to do, the look on his face was priceless, I bet I could paint it from memory.  
‘What the fuck are you doing here?’ Holding up his knife, pointing it towards me.   
‘Take a seat, I have an offer for you.’

‘An-an offer?’ He blinked and gaped at me.   
‘Yes, an offer. Sit down.’   
I leaned over and wiped my knife on the shoulder of the dead guy, just for effect.   
‘What’s your name, I’ve been calling you all sorts in my head all day,’ using the pointy end of the knife I jiggled it at my head, a jumble of all sorts going on in there all damn day.  
‘Jacob.’  
‘Alright Jacob, sit the fuck down and I’ll tell you what’s going to happen.’  
He didn’t move from the doorway, I didn’t think he would. So I raised an eyebrow at him, giving him a look I would have given my boys if they disappointed me. That seemed to get his feet moving.   
His eyes flicked over to his dead comrade and back to me.   
‘Was he your friend?’   
‘My brother.’ Jacob looked back at the emaciated man at my feet.   
‘Sorry about that, maybe he was a good guy but I killed him because he was just an unfortunate guy who got caught up in this web you fucking spun, just like I did, so don’t look at me like that.’  
Jacob’s mouth closed, teeth clattered together, he was holding onto the knife so tight now his knuckles were turning white.  
‘I won’t kill you Jacob, if you do two things for me.’  
‘And why the fuck would I help you, old man. You killed my brother and you shot Bobby.’  
I grimaced, shrugging. ‘Who the fuck is Bobby.’ I held up a hand as he explained that Bobby was the gigantic man who had attacked us that morning. ‘I actually don’t give a fuck. Tell me now, Jacob, where are you bringing her?’ I motioned to the kitchen, where I could see Red slouched over, hugging her knees to her chest.   
‘None of your goddamn business.’ He started laughing, his braces visible to me for the first time. Not the old train tracks they used to wear, something newer, probably expensive, I’d love to hear them snap when I punch him right in the mouth.   
‘See, I was trying to be nice but now I see you are not going to help me. This makes me sad, this could have been bloodless.’ I feigned surprise when I looked back at his dead brother. ‘Or less bloody, if you had left her alone.’  
‘Who are you?’ Jacob spat.  
‘I’m John Winchester.’  
Jacob shrugged, ‘that name supposed to mean something to me?’   
‘Nah, but you’ll remember if for the rest of your days if I let you live. So tell me, is your resistance worth my face being the last thing you see?’

That got him thinking. I could hear the cogs in his mind groaning under the pressure.  
‘I’m bringing her back to the boss.’  
I wheeled my knife around in a circle, hurry the fuck up with the details.  
‘She’s the bosses sister.’  
‘I gathered as much, anything else? It’s getting dark and I wanna hit the road before nightfall.’  
‘You really don’t know, do you?’ A vile gargle echoed around the room, what an awful laugh this guy had.  
‘OK, again, I don’t care. Why does her brother want her back so bad.’  
‘Coz he’s dying to have her, if you know what I mean.’ Jacob’s tongue flicked out and licked his lower lip, insinuating what I had already guessed.  
‘So your boss wants to fuck his own sister and you’re happy to deliver her into his grubby hands.’   
He hadn’t wiped that smile off his face, thinking he would shake me with the big reveal.  
‘She’s worth a lot to him now she has come of age.’  
‘The lady told me she was 26,’ I swung my legs off the table, letting my feet fall heavily. I pushed off the chair and rounded the table.   
Jacob scoffed. ’Twenty one, she lied to you.’  
‘Twenty one isn’t the age of consent, you know.’   
His face fell as he watched me move towards him. ‘You got it wrong, old man. It’s all set, the next full moon we will change from mere men to something beyond your imagining and our lovely red haired friend will be our sacrifice. Death by fucking.’ He giggled away to himself, louder and louder before he launched himself off the chair and lunged at me, the knife clattered to the floor after I delivered a back hand to his face. He went down like a sack of potatoes. I grabbed his hair and lifted him to his feet as he had done to Red. He was back in the chair, my fingers pulling at him so hard the hair began to come away in my hand, I took the opportunity to place my blade against his hairline.  
‘Where is the boss, Jacob?’ I was so furious my spit rained down onto his face. He was panicking, his body almost convulsing while I held him.  
‘He’s on his way here to pick her up. Probably, probably here tomorrow night. Please don’t hurt me,’ I was waiting for the little shit stain to beg for his life.   
‘I won’t.’ I said, easing my grip and stepping back to see if Red was still there.   
Jacob shook, pissing his pants where he sat.   
‘Anything else I should know before I let you run for the hills?’  
Furiously moving his head from side to side, he stayed quiet, his bulging eyes looking for any way out of this situation.   
‘You sure now?’   
Again he shook his head furiously.   
‘Were you gonna have a piece too?’ I nodded toward her.   
He paused, thinking before saying ‘no, I wouldn’t.’   
‘Really? Oh man,’ I started ‘you can’t tell me you wouldn’t have a bit of it. I mean, I haven’t travelled across the state for nothing, I hope.’  
Jacob was nodding, eager to agree with anything I had to say.   
‘There’s nothing like a sweet little pussy, Jacob, especially if it’s been kept for someone else. You know what I’m saying.’ I winked and he relaxed, laughing.  
‘Yeah, man. I was really hoping he’d give me second go. I know she hates me so that makes it even better. I love a hate fuck.’  
I laughed with him, imagining all the ways I could kill the scumbag. ‘That’s rape, Jacob. And it’s never ok.’  
The smile fell from his lips and he gaped up at me, fear back in his eyes.   
‘It all would have been ok if you hadn’t called me old man. Twice.’ I sighed sadly. 

I walked back into the kitchen, hoping there would be running water.   
‘Hey,’ Red perked up.   
‘Hey,’ I responded, throwing the flap of skin onto the table with a wet slap. I managed to get the blood off under the ice cold water and dried my hands on my jeans. I could really use a shower.

‘Let’s get a look at you.’   
There was a purple bruise on her cheek and a bump on the back of her head where she had fallen, but she managed a sad smile.   
‘Thanks for coming for me.’ Red was gonna cry again.   
‘You think I’d leave you with that asshole?’  
With my help, she slowly got to her feet. ‘Let’s get you out of here. I had a conversation with Jacob and I didn’t like what he said.’  
‘Is he dead?’ When she stood to her full height she twisted around to see what I had thrown on the table.’  
‘Gross,’ she muttered. ‘Did you…’  
‘Yeah I scalped him, come on, don’t look at it.’  
‘You’re pretty hardcore.’   
‘I have my moments.’  
No, I didn’t. I’ve never had such violent tendencies towards my fellow man. I’ll sleep better knowing he was a rapist, pervert who didn’t mind trafficking women for ill use. Fuck him.  
Red sank back into the passenger seat when we finally made it back to the car. ‘This is new,’ she hummed, running her fingers agains the soft leather interior.  
‘It belongs to a friend. Come on, Red, let’s drive us somewhere we can eat and shower and sleep, how’s that sound?’  
‘Like a dream,’ she smiled over at me, her eyes closing, she’d be asleep soon.   
‘Wait,’ she opened her eyes again. ‘Red?’  
‘I still don’t know your name sweetheart.’ I started the engine and let it purr, I did love that sound.   
‘Well, I can give you another hint.’  
‘Oh jolly good, let’s see if I can guess it now.’  
‘It begins with a D.’  
‘A D? Hmm, Dana?’  
She pouts, tilting her head to the side. Not Dana.   
‘Though not a bad guess, Dana Scully, red hair. I see where you’re headed.’  
‘Alright, sweetheart, I’ll think on it. Go asleep.’

I hit the road with her next to me. I would glance over to check she was ok. I’d go back to Faye, she could maybe put us up for the night. I’d my fingers crossed that Faye wanted to do another favour for me today.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> John and Red stay with a friend.

‘I didn’t think you’d be back already.’ Faye whispered.   
We were standing in her brightly lit kitchen, she was looking over my shoulder at Red, who was out cold in the living room. I had carried her in from the car only a few minutes before.  
‘There were only two boys at the house, more were on the way but we got outta there. Sorry for the intrusion, I didn’t wanna bring her to a seedy motel.’  
Faye shrugged, ‘It’s what we do isn’t it, Johnny Boy.’   
I ran a hand down my face, realising just how tired I was. ‘Mind if I take a shower?’  
‘You’re at your mom’s.’ She always said that.  
I took off my jacket, leaving it on the bannister as I made my way upstairs.   
Faye and her goddamn hot showers. I had to turn the water temperature down several notches to get it bearable enough to stand under.  
Even then, it burned the cuts I’d picked up over the last 24 hours, some I didn’t even realise I had. 

Faye had left out a t-shirt and sweat pants belonging to her ex husband, even though she swore she burned everything the son of a bitch owned.   
I smiled when I saw it all laid out neatly on the bed in her spare room, the smaller one. The larger room given to our guest of honor.   
I brushed back my hair and checked my face, luckily, no bruises there but I looked tired as hell.  
I decided to check on Red before I hit the sack.   
She was sitting up, legs folded under her, giggling.   
That was the first time I’d heard her laugh. It gave me a jolt in my stomach, an itch I didn’t know I needed scratched.  
Faye had pulled the coffee table over so they were eye to eye. A face cloth dipped in disinfectant and water swiped across Red’s face.   
‘There he is, the hero.’ Faye winked over at me.  
‘What are you gals up to?’ I couldn’t help but grin, they looked so damn cute gettin’ friendly like that.  
Red’s eyes stayed on me longer than she realised, it was probably the first time she had seen me clean since I grabbed her from the apartment.  
‘Faye has been telling me some stories.’

‘Oh shit, I’m afraid to ask.’ I looked to where Faye was gesturing.   
She had a fully stocked bar tucked in the corner of the room, there was a beer waiting for me, condensation dripping from the glass, my mouth watered.  
She’d put out a sandwich too.   
‘Have you eaten, Red?’ I cut over Faye as she was regaling our guest with a hunting story.   
‘I woke up ravenous, I had two turkey sandwiches.’  
‘And jell-o.’ Faye added.  
‘Damn, how long was I in the shower?!’ I took a bite, my stomach gurgling in anticipation. 

‘How did you two meet?’ Faye was checking through Red’s hair, the blood had dried over the cut there, luckily it didn’t look as if it needed stitches.   
I had my mouth full so I let Red tell the story. I’m glad she started at the apartment, Faye didn’t need to know I’d nearly run her over in the street.

Faye was snorting and nodding, ‘sounds like our John. Though, you’re the first damsel he’s brought around for me to meet.’  
Red looked from her to me and back again, trying to figure out if we had some kind of history.  
I pointed to Faye with my free hand while I took the final bite. ‘We met in a situation similar to yours, well, her husband tried to kill her.’  
‘We were getting into it in a parking lot and this tall, dark and handsome fella walks right up and socks my ex husband right in the nose. I fuckin’ freaked out, I didn’t see the knife til he lunged at both of us. Crazy fucker.’  
I just nodded.   
‘So, she owed me.’  
‘I have repaid my debt to you many times over, John. But I like you, so I’ll keep helping you.’   
The beer was ice cold and went down so well, it was gone in several gulps, I needed to wash down that dry ass turkey sandwich.   
‘But I have to get to sleep, I got a real job to go to in the morning. Bedroom is upstairs, shower and sleep. You’ll be alright.’ She put a hand on Red’s shoulder. The younger woman looking up at her with tear rimmed eyes. ‘Thank you. Thank you both.’ Red said softly.  
When Faye disappeared upstairs, I leaned against the bar, belly full of beer gas.   
Red wiped her eyes with the cuff of her sweater.  
‘I didn’t use all the hot water, come on.’  
I hooked my hand under her elbow to help her to her feet.  
‘I don’t need help showering.’  
‘I wasn’t offerin’ to scrub your back, I just want to make sure you don’t fall up the stairs. You hit your head pretty hard earlier.’  
‘Nah, I’m good,’ she smiled, swiping a hand across my arm.   
She took to the stairs ahead of me. ’Don’t look at my ass.’   
‘I wouldn’t dream of it sweetheart.’ My eyes down, I followed her.  
‘Bathroom,’ I pointed to the door closest to us, ‘and your room,’ the door down the end of the hall stood open.  
‘Couch? she queried.  
I shook my head, ‘Faye stuck me in the little room next to yours. I’d sleep on a concrete slab, I’m so fuckin’ tired.’  
‘Go to bed then, John Winchester. You have earned your rest.’   
She ducked her head then, looking a little bashful as she closed the bathroom door behind her.

I wasn’t asleep long when I heard the door click open. I knew her smell, even though it had been washed out by Faye’s fancy soaps.   
‘Can I sleep with you?’ The light from the hallway illuminated the space around her, casting her in a complete darkness.   
‘No point in both of us sleeping in a single bed sweetheart.’ My voice was cracked, tired.   
‘C’mon.’ I whispered, slipping my hand into hers and pulling her down onto me. I turned on my side to make room for her.   
After a few minutes I felt her breath on my face. ‘This isn’t working.’   
I groaned a little for effect, ‘you gonna make me get up and go into your queen sized bed?’  
Red scrunched her face.   
‘Damn.’ ‘Ok then,’ I assented. Grunting as I sat up. My body was giving up on me.  
She disappeared into the other room. By the time I was turning down the sheets on the empty side, she was laying on her back, eyes closed. Red hair fanned about her on the pillow, just as she was in my dream on that third night.

I beat the pillow and folded it over, taking my time to look at her. Rosy pink lips and a few freckles here and there. I couldn’t count them, there wasn’t enough time for that.   
‘Why are you looking at me?’ She opened one eye to peek at my face.  
‘Just tryin’ to figure out what your name is.’  
‘I’ll be really surprised if you guess it yourself. It’s not a popular name.’  
‘Who named you?’   
‘Grandma. She was stage actress for a time. Do you go to plays?’  
‘No.’ I replied simply. Theatre wasn’t top of my list of things to do in my downtime.   
‘Me either. My attention isn’t great. Hey,’ she trailed off. ‘is it ok if we…spoon?’  
‘Do I get to be the big spoon or the little spoon?’ I jested. She smiled at me, blushing.   
Her perfect lips curling despite her exhaustion.  
‘Roll over, little spoon.’ I put a hand on her shoulder, real gentle while she moved to switch off the light.  
My fingers drifted across her bare skin, there was a scar there. A long scar, no, a design.  
‘That’s an intentional scar, coz I know you’re gonna ask.’  
I could feel my brow furrow, intentional?  
‘I’ll tell you about it sometime, maybe when you know me better. It might make more sense.’  
Red looked back at me. I wish I could say I didn’t feel any stirrings in my pants, but I sure as hell did. I wanted to wrap her hair around my hand and pull her back to me, her lips pressed against mine, her ass grinding against me, oh man. I wanted that more than anything.   
But I could see she didn’t. And honestly, the thoughts were wrong, I knew it.   
Red was the type of girl that would initiate somethin’. If she wanted me, she’d say.  
But she didn’t. And we fell asleep holding each other. Coz that was what we needed.   
It’s been a long fuckin’ time since I felt so good by bein’ so close to someone. 

‘John.’ The whisper came straight through my skin, settling right in my chest. My hands were moving. A heaviness against me and a sweet smell. It was her.   
I opened my eyes to see her dip her head and shimmy down the bed over me. Her lips were sucking on my skin. The room was still dark but I could see her so clear.   
‘Girl, you gotta stop,’ I tried to move her hair away, I wanted to see her face.   
The whispering started again, she was saying my name over and over, sucking on my nipples, her tongue running against my neck and I just let go.   
The warmth of her slipped down on me, I grabbed her hips to still her movements. We hadn’t talked about this, but it was happenin’. I wanted it though. She was grinding against me impatiently. Her little mouth framed in a pout, those doe eyes were killing me. She looked at me perplexed, as if a man had never told her ‘no’ before.  
Fuck, I just pulled her down and kissed her like I’d never kissed a woman before. Little gasps while I thrust up into her, feeling her small breasts move on my chest. There wasn’t time for me to enjoy it enough, I exploded inside her before I could tell her to jump off. Not my finest moment.   
Rolling off me, she disappeared into the dark again. I was gasping for air. Heart hammerin’.  
Grinnin’ like an idiot I looked over at her, blinking to clear my vision.   
She sighed, fast asleep.   
‘Hey’, I whispered, putting my hand on her shoulder, cool to the touch.  
‘Hmm?’ She mumbled sleepily.   
‘Red, you ok?’   
She didn’t answer, drifting away again.   
Looking down I saw I was still wearing the clothes Faye had given me.   
There was a wet patch on the front of the pants, I could feel it.   
‘Shit,’ I hissed, embarrassed. I hadn’t had a wet dream since I was a boy.   
Getting out of bed, I snuck into the bathroom. So fuckin’ ashamed.  
Good move John, my mind mocked me, imagine she woke up after your sex dream and saw your cum on your pants.   
When I switched the light on, a paler version of myself looked back at me in the mirror.  
New bruises covering my torso, bright red, right where she had been sucking on me.  
‘What the fuck?’ I said a little too loud.


	6. Chapter 6

After my accident, I scrubbed up and got back into bed, fighting sleep as much as I could but suddenly I found myself staring at the ceiling and I knew it was morning. Red was gone.   
There was noise coming from downstairs, the smell of burning toast found me as I trudged into the kitchen, grumpy and still tired as hell.  
‘You look awful, Winchester. Get any sleep?’ Faye shot me a look and turned away with a grin on her face. I knew what she was getting at but I ignored her.   
Red looked like a deer in headlights, those big fuckin’ eyes looking at me like she was waiting for me to start yelling and pointing my finger at her.  
I just shrugged. ‘I’ve had better nights.’ From the corner of my eye, I saw Red straighten, dropping the remains of her toast onto the plate.  
‘I’m gonna get to work, take as long as you need but get the fuck out of my house, Winchester.’ Faye left me with a kiss on the cheek and a wave to Red. 

The silence that laid over us was smothering. Sipping on coffee in the hopes it would rev my engine, she was squirming, I could sense it.  
‘So…’ She started.  
I leaned back against he fridge and waited for her to open up.   
Rolling my eyes when she started talking about how sweet Faye was.

‘Who the hell are you?!’ The mug I’d held clattered onto the table as I put it down, I honestly didn’t mean to make that much noise.   
Red visibly recoiled. I would have felt bad but the anger in my stomach was coming to a rollin’ boil.  
‘John…’ she began pleading.   
‘Tell me who the hell you are.’  
Blushing, Red scrubbed her hands on her jeans and pushed out her chair. ‘Don’t shout at me.’ She mumbled, trying to push past me.   
‘Red, please.’ I lowered my voice, I really didn’t wanna make her uncomfortable but my head was fucked up with this woman.  
‘I’ve helped you a few times now, I feel I’ve earned a bit of trust. At least tell me your name. Then we can work on who you are and what the hell you’ve been doing to me.’  
This close up I could see the perfect curve of her cheek to her chin, streaked with a stray tear.   
Taking a deep breath, she looked me dead in the eye. ‘My name is Desdemona,’ she spat, as if the words would strike me down.  
I probably looked like an idiot. Desdemona? What kind of name was that?  
‘I never would have guessed it.’ I bit the inside of my lip, no way in hell would I have guessed. She didn’t look like a Desdemona. Maybe a Hazel or a Heather. 

Red shook her head, holding her arms around herself. ‘I prefer Red.’  
The hint of a smile disappeared as soon as it had come.  
‘Desdemona,’ I tried to be softer, was she doing this on purpose? Was the innocence all an act?  
‘Start talkin’ or I’ll salt every corner of the room and leave you here.’  
‘That won’t stop me,’ she blurted.  
I raised my eyebrows ‘oh, it won’t?’   
Swallowing hard and thinking for a second, she threw her hands into the air. ‘Fine. My name is Desdemona and I’m running away from my brother because he plans on using me as a sacrifice in one of his fucked up fantasies.’

‘I already knew that, why does he want to sacrifice you, what is he getting out of it? And why am I waking up with bruises and…’ I stopped myself just in time, maybe the sex dreams were just that, I didn’t wanna put my foot in it. She could think I’m some old creep wanting a bit of ass.

‘It’s a long story.’ 

‘I got time.’ I was gettin’ testy again.

Red, no, Desdemona huffed. This all felt too much like a dad/daughter relationship. Part of me was turned on by it. Keep your damn thoughts to yourself, my brain scolded.  
‘I’m afraid you won’t believe me if I told you.’   
‘You wouldn’t believe the shit I’ve seen and heard over the years.’ My eyes followed her while she paced across the vinyl floor, biting her nails.  
‘When I was 16 I found out that I have this thing wrong with me and that I inherited it from my grandma.’  
‘The one that named you?’ I interrupted.  
Red nodded furiously, continuing ‘And my brother, well he’s a total asshole, always has been. He’s a big deal in underground crime and he has been…hoping to siphon this thing that’s wrong with me.’  
I held up a hand, she stopped pacing, dropping her hands by her sides.   
‘I’ll just stop you there, Red. You’re a succubus.’  
Red grimanced ‘kinda’.  
‘No kinda about it sweetheart, you’ve fucked the living hell out of me twice now.’  
The colour drained from her face. ‘I didn’t mean to’, her voice was barely above a whisper.  
‘Can you control it?’   
She shook her head, ‘it only happens when I’m asleep and usually when someone is attracted to me, you know?’  
I shrugged, yeah I’ve had sex with people that found me attractive but that’s where the similarity ends.  
‘And your brother isn’t like you?’  
‘No, but he knows about what I am because he uses me.’   
Red broke right then, her body crumpled to the floor, loud sobs wracking her small frame.  
I got to my knees and wrapped my arms around her. ‘Your brother is scum, if I meet him, I’ll put a bullet in him.’  
‘Why do men always think violence is the answer?’  
‘Got any other ideas, darlin’?’  
I could feel her tremble, no suggestions were forthcoming.  
‘Tell me then, Red. He uses you when you can’t control it, does he abuse you physically, when you’re awake?’

Red sniffled. ‘No, not yet. That’s what the whole ‘sacrifice’ thing is. He wants to use my physical body to remove the demon part and take it for himself. I can’t let him do that, do you know how many people he could hurt?’   
Red looked at me, wide eyed and tear streaked.  
‘Too many people I’m guessin’.’   
‘I ran away. It was an impossibility that he would find me. But he did. Somehow.’ 

‘You can’t run forever, he’ll find you again unless he’s stopped.’   
Red pouted. ‘Can you help me?’  
‘What you thinkin’ sweetheart?’ I sat back on my heels and heard her out. 

***

To say the next twelve hours didn’t go as planned is an understatement.   
We ended up in a nice enough motel, the owner gave us the honeymoon suite. The cocksucker probably has a two way mirror or some shit going on, he looked the type.  
We’d been driving for hours, the pin in the map was exactly where we shouldn’t be goin’, back to Red’s hometown. Right into the jaws of the beast.   
Red had slipped into a second hand shop at the first half decent town we’d come to. She even decided on a hat for me, I’m not a hat guy, but it made her happy, so I wore it the rest of the way.   
With her new haul of clothes, Red decided to take a bath while I got dinner, somethin’ healthy enough, she said she liked vegetables. 

‘I’m back.’ I called out, shutting the door behind me, locking it out of habit.  
Sloshing sounds from the bath was all I heard.  
A few minutes later, I tapped on the door. ‘Red, you ok in there?’  
No answer.  
‘Red? Dinner is getting cold.’  
The door released from its catch with a squeak, opening the door an inch. Peach smelling mist seeped out from the crack.  
‘Red?’ I pushed it open a little more, I could barely see anything the room had steamed up so much.  
Her hand placed on either side of the tub, she grabbed hold of it and stood up slowly. When the air cleared I could see her, naked and pink from the hot water.  
‘Uhhh’ was the noise I made, trying to avert my gaze.  
‘Why so bashful now, John?’  
‘I…I didn’t mean to just walk in on you.’ Oh fuck, what was I doing?   
‘You did though.’  
Squeezing my eyes closed, I hoped when I opened them that she would wrap a towel around herself.  
No such luck, her lips turned up into a grin. Her eyes narrowing, she raised a hand, beckoning me.   
‘Help me out, John. I don’t want to slip.’  
Working on auto-pilot I grabbed the towel resting on the sink and moved to her, taking her hand. She caught me looking at her, fuck.  
‘John?’   
Her voice, it wasn’t like it was at night, when she was her demon self, it was her, but it was different somehow.  
‘I want you.’  
Shaking my head, I tried to step back. ‘No, I can’t.’  
‘Oh,’ there was sadness in her tone, disappointment.  
‘It’s not that I don’t want to, Red. I just can’t take advantage of you.’  
She raised an eyebrow ‘John, please. Tomorrow I may be dead. YOU may be dead. Just give me this.’  
Her fingers reached out, touched my neck, running her hand down my chest, stopping right over my heart.   
Those perfect pink lips were so close to me. We connected, my mouth resisting for a breath. But I drank her in as if she were my last sip of water in the desert.   
She tasted like strawberries.   
The distance between the bathroom to the bed wasn’t far but we stumbled together.  
My shirt was gone and her fingers were exploring my scars. Her eyes were wide, goddamn she was gonna kill me with those eyes.  
‘Can we leave the light on? I want to see your face.’  
‘Of course, darlin’, we can do this any way you want.’  
Red nodded, her fingers dancing against my zipper.   
‘You’ll have to help me.’   
‘You know where it is, sweetheart, you’ve had it before.’  
Blushing, she shook her head. ‘Not in the physical world. If I do this, I own the bad thing and it can’t be taken away from me.’  
Oh fuck. I wasn’t sure if this was the right thing to do but she was pulling me under, her breasts were pressed against my chest, she was kissing me and I was hard as steel for her.  
‘You sure?’ I muttered into her neck, sucking softly on the sweet smelling skin.  
She agreed with a swoon, I swept her up into my arms and lay her on the bed.   
‘I’ll take you, demon and all.’  
Red licked her lips as I undid my belt.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> John & Red put their plan into action.

I don’t remember if I had any places to go. The job with the stolen blood bags had been the main gig, I don’t usually like planning anything too far ahead of time. I don’t know who I’m gonna let down by not showing up somewhere. I didn’t wanna think about the next job, the next person in trouble. Red was it. All I could think about was her. I was invested.  
My foot was pressing down hard, the miles building up behind us. The sun was setting and the thirst was real. I had to get to a bar quick.   
Pulling up at a clean lookin’ establishment in the main street I hopped out. When the door swung open I could smell the beer soaked tables, that shit just stays in the wood. A bit of sawdust on the floor to cover the blood stains. Real nice.

The barkeep ignored me when I sat at the bar, chair squeaking as I shifted.   
Red slapped her bag against the counter top and sighed heavily, getting the attention we needed.  
‘Glass of Irish and something sweet for the lady.’ I grumbled, rubbing my hand across my beard, damn thing itches and hurts at the same time. It’s gotta go.  
Red leaned over to me and brushed a hand across where I’d been touching. ‘I like it.’   
‘You been reading my mind, doll?’  
Crinkling her nose, she took a sip from the rum and coke that was handed to her.  
‘Just what I needed. Back in a sec.’ Red disappeared into the ladies, leaving me to scope out the bar.  
This was the place alright. It stank, it was dark and a few guys had eyes on me since I walked in. No one followed Red, at least.   
It wouldn’t take long for her brother to arrive if any of these guys were his cronies. I starting tapping my foot, I didn’t like how long she was taking, if she were back here with me I could rest easy.  
I swallowed the whiskey in two gulps, it burned so good. Her familiar scent hit me before she sat down again.   
‘Fresh as a daisy.’  
I chuckled. ‘You’re always fresh as a daisy.’  
‘Thanks, John. That’s sweet.’   
Red leaned in smiling and pecked me right on the lips. The barkeep gave us a sideways glance and threw open the cellar door, the clang as it hit the bar gave Red a jolt. She made an ‘oof’ sound.   
‘Jumpy are we?’   
The bottle of whiskey was within reach, fuck it. It took another shot.  
‘I’m ok…considering.’   
I grabbed hold of her hand, it was soft and small in my calloused ham.  
‘I’m itchin’ to get going.’ With my free hand I shifted my leather jacket aside, giving her a glimpse of my 9mm tucked into my waistband. 

The door swung open, a brilliant blast of evening light hit us where we were sitting. The silhouette was burned into my eyes, the fucker stood there that long.   
‘Give us the girl and you can go.’ It said.  
Red grabbed hold of the crook of my elbow.   
‘Who is us?’  
The speaker stepped in and stood aside for someone else, someone much larger. ‘Fuck me,’ I groaned.   
Realisation crossed the big dopes face. ‘You!’ he pointed a finger at me from his one good hand.   
‘Gigantor, let’s be friends.’  
‘My name is not gigantor,’ he seethed, spit coating his bottom lip, leaking onto his chin.   
I held up my hands, ‘take it easy big guy. I’m tryna be nice here. But, ‘fraid to say, my girl is not going with you.’  
‘Oh she’s your girl now?’ The first guy stepped forward, abs pulled in, arms clenched as if he were going to run up on me.  
‘Step back, brother or you’ll get a whole lot of me comin’ at you.’   
I didn’t reach for my gun, I was trying to keep a cool head.   
‘Why do men always think violence is the answer?’ Red’s statement to me a few nights ago rang through my mind like a bell.  
Gigantor crossed an arm over his compadre’s chest. ‘Just give us the girl.’  
‘Why do you say ‘the girl’? Like you’re in a movie or something, idiot.’ Red piped up behind me.  
‘Get in the car, Mona, Ray’s waiting on you.’  
‘Fuck Ray and fuck you.’  
A click came from behind us. The barkeep had his barrel pointed at me.   
‘If you take her, I go free?’  
Gigantor shifted his eyes to Red then back at me. ‘Yeah.’  
Yeah right.  
‘I’ll go. Just leave him alone.’   
Red bravely stood from her barstool, pushing her skirt over her knees. She glanced at me, giving me a nod that said ‘it’s cool.’   
I stood down and watched her leave the bar. The arms surrounding her, blocking her from my view.   
I can’t describe how I felt right then. My red headed dream woman disappearing with dangerous men, their hands on her.   
Time stopped as I made my way across to the door, all eyes watching me go, I felt them searing into me, pecking at the shell of my very being.   
But it had been the plan. It was our plan and I was to follow.  
They had done nothing to her…yet. But I knew I was gonna kill them all.

Hours later, I was huddled in a swamp, soaked to my knees in foul smelling water. I didn’t notice or I didn’t care.   
I could hear her voice carrying across the night air.   
‘Nothin’ will hurt you Red, I’m here.’ I whispered in to the heavy stillness. Southern nights, I hated them.  
With the raucous of the followers surrounding her, you wouldn’t think I could hear anything else but I was tuned into her. I could feel her around me, just as she was last night.  
The softness under me, I was all sweaty and gasping while she purred sweetly. Clinging to my arms, she raked at my skin, pouting. The initial push had made her shiver, her eyes widening. But I went slow, talking to her like she was the most precious thing on earth, telling her how good she felt and how good I wanted make her feel. 

Her head was thrown back between the pillows, the crescendo reached with a wail she didn’t know she had in her. ‘Do that again, John.’ She grinned down at me, biting her lip and giggling.   
My mouth found her perfect lips again and I drank her down, that sweet slick I wanted so bad. She took everything I gave her with a wide eyed excitement.   
‘I’d done it before but I’ve never felt it before,’ she gasped when I lay next to her.   
Sleeping on her back for an hour or so, chest rising and falling with her dreams. Waking and smiling before she opened her eyes. Resting on her elbow to look down at me. I’d only caught a few minutes here and there.   
‘John, can we do it again? All the way this time.’   
‘Anything you want, Red.’ I kissed her like I hadn’t kissed any other woman for years, my arms keeping the weight from her before she begged for it. She wanted all of me, head to toe, my skin on hers.   
Sinking in and feeling the resistance was a thrill I’d never experienced. ‘Take a breath, sweetheart,’ I whispered while I ran my lips down her neck, sucking the sweet dip between her collar bones. After a few shallow thrusts she let me in.   
It could just be the hunter in me but I felt something change in her right at that moment, there was a heat shimmering through the air that hadn’t been there before.   
Was it true what she’d said? She’d own the demon if she took ownership of her body?   
Red fell asleep a little after that, asking me to gently rub her thigh. I tried to stay awake but c’mon, I’m an old man, I’ll drift off after a good fuck. 

The sound of a door creaking open reached me, the main man, Raymond Caro, Desdemona’s big brother sashayed into the circle of robed followers. He held up his hands as if to quieten the rabble.  
‘Brothers, we come here to celebrate the ascension of myself. A special night indeed, only made possible by my beautiful sister, Desdemona.’ Raymond pressed a hand against his sisters forehead, stroking his thumb back and forth fondly.   
The anger boiled in me, I set it to simmer…for now.  
How dare he say her name as if he revered her. As if he loved her.  
My sweet Desdemona. Was it me that whispered it?  
Red whimpered in assent. ‘All for you big brother.’  
I could see Raymond’s ego flare, the hay-headed fucker. His blonde hair had grown wild, beard unkempt as if he were the 21st century Jesus.  
The chanting started up again and Raymond started waving his arms about.   
I was just about to roll my eyes as the infantile display but something caught my attention.  
The swamp had stilled, the sound of the night had stopped. The hairs stood on the back of my neck when I heard the shrill sound. I don’t know where it came from, neither did the robed men surrounding Red, they were turning their heads this way and that trying to figure out the source of this rising vibration. There was a crack and a boom. The branches of the trees around me shuddered.  
What the fuck was happening?  
I stood to my full height, still covered by the leaves. No one had spotted me yet.   
Red groaned again, writhing on the stone slab where she had been bound.   
From here I could see the night gown clinging to her sweat sodden skin. She was scared, I didn’t need to see it to know. My heart sank at the thought of the woman laying there, afraid of what was to come and no one was helping.   
None of the fuckers surrounding her would help her because they had been promised a share of the spoils.   
A chill wind whipped past me and rustled the trees.  
Raymond was shouting, his face lifted to the night sky.   
Red thrashed back and forth her limbs uncontrollably flailing painfully.   
It was memory thankfully, coz I had nothin’ with me. The words rolled off my tongue like it was the lyrics of my favourite song. I had my eyes on Red and only Red. The air feeling like it was closing in on me, shifting colour from black to grey, flashes of images like a tv screen was projected for all to see.  
Red was there, gyrating on top of men, all men for all eternity. My hands spread wide, palms down to the earth. You’ll be cast back to the pit from where you came.   
The ground swelled beneath me, yawning wide and threatening.   
Red was in a fevered dream, telling me all of her secrets. If I could, I would tell her it was all ok, whatever the demon had her do was not her fault. None of it was.   
Raymond found whatever balls he had and tried to square up to me.  
‘It’s my demon, give it to me.’  
‘I’ll give you somethin,’ I think I said. Or maybe I was too focused on this one thing. This ball of hateful black energy convulsing against the endless dark above me. ‘Back to hell with you.’ I managed to say between the words I didn’t know I’d memorised.

‘John!’ She sounded relieved, alive.  
Thank god she was alive.  
The demon was gaining shape, Raymond was engaging it, urging it to come into him and live within his skin.   
The cacophony was deafening.  
Keep calling my name, Red, I urged her. I won’t forget myself.  
One last push, I had the strength to do it. The ground opened up, flames licking at my boots, threatening to pull me down with it.  
A scream and a swirl of smoke and it was gone. 

‘What have you done???’ Raymond cried.   
I ran to Red, freeing her from her bonds, but she was tied too tight.  
‘It’s gone, help me get your sister out of the ropes.’   
Raymond was looking at the ground where the hole had been.   
The screech of car tyres told us any of the losers that stuck around for this bogus ceremony had gotten outta here fast.   
My flick knife was in my hand and cutting into the ropes.   
‘Ray.’ Red rubbed the marks on her wrists, sitting up with my help.

‘Why would you do this?’ He looked to me.   
‘You could hurt any more people, Ray.’  
He ignored his sister, his red rimmed eyes fixed on me. ‘Motherfucker, don’t you know who I am?’

‘I kinda wouldn’t give a fuck, only you’ve made a show of getting your sister away from whatever kind of life she wanted and into your fantasy of stealing her power. Don’t you know that’s the one thing you can’t do?’  
The dumb fucker just titled his head, confused.  
‘You can’t take a woman’s power. Nothing earthly or otherwise has that influence.’  
Red grabbed the gun in my waist band, I dared not stop her.

‘Wow, baby sister, cool it.’ Raymond put on a facade of submission, reaching over to her all the while, his intent clear.   
Red’s hand shook while she pointed my gun at him. 

‘For years he’s been using me to service his friends, the men that wanted to sit with him in the heavenly courts. For his own gain, for fun. I couldn’t live with myself if he took it, John.’

We were sitting on the floor of Faye’s kitchen while she told me her plan.  
The goons would find her quick enough. Everybody was afraid of Raymond in her hometown.  
Once she was taken, her brother would start the ritual, he was afraid of losing time. It could only be done under the full moon and the pregnant belly of the wench hung low tonight.  
‘If I don’t kill him, he will kill me and countless innocent people. No one should have that kind of power, John. When the ritual starts, you have to find some way to stop it.’

And I did. My old journal had given me some ideas. I’d been around the block a time or two.

‘The demon is gone. Now there’s only me, plain old Desdemona.’ She gripped the handle of the gun with both hands, her strength giving out.  
‘Just a little slut with nothing else to give the world but what’s between her legs,’ her brother laughed, reaching behind his back to what I assumed was a weapon.

‘Steady on now, buck.’   
‘Fuck you, Raymond.’ 

The scorched earth opened up next to him, a long arm of black mist enveloped him. With a screech, Raymond fell to the ground, his belly scraping against the cement while he clawed in panic.   
A strange popping noise followed him as he disappeared into the ground.   
‘Did you do that??’ I held myself steady.  
Red smiled, ‘I told you I could control it.’  
‘You did?’  
Red shimmied to her feet, standing next to me over the spot her brother had been standing.   
‘When I gave myself to someone, the demon would be under my control. That’s the sneaky ways of it. Raymond had me for so long locked away he could do whatever he wanted.’   
‘Ok, I heard you say that I just didn’t realise you could do THAT.’ I gestured to the area around us.  
‘Are you impressed?’ Red beamed up at me.  
‘Hell yeah I am.’  
I risked a quick kiss, hoping it wouldn’t awaken the ground demon again.

‘John?’ She whispered against my mouth.  
‘Yes?’  
‘Take me back to your motel?’  
‘Yes ma’am’.


End file.
